Page 112 of The Princesses of Ruin
“You cannot eventhinkit without consequence.” He taps the glowing brand on my wrist. “You’re bound in this agreement same as I am. Same as he is.”
He palms my stomach and pushes me against the wall. “The same asshe is.”
I grunt through gritted teeth as I pant. “She can beat you.”
His dark tongue snakes out and licks his exposed teeth. “We shall see.”
He pushes off me but keeps his hand firmly on my belly. I want to vomit again.
“You will not harm her. You will not hide her.You will not trick me.” The air in the room thins and my head grows light. “As agreed, I will return in twenty cycles of the seasons. She will be ready to engageme in combat, or she will surrender to me willingly. Either way, I am leaving with my mate.”
My body burns with shame. I bare my teeth to hide it.
“You won’t be leaving at all. She’ll take your head and mount it on the tallest spire of her kingdom.”
Duskaryn makes a rasping chuckle as he steps back. “I can only hope she’ll be strong enough to make the attempt, else she won’t survive my affections.”
I slap his maw hard.
My chest aches like my hand.
I slap him again, harder. Something in my wrist pops. I hit him again. He watches me with passive malevolence, allowing me to rain down on him with my agony. Making a mockery of my strength. Knowing not one of these blows has the intent to kill. Knowing none of them are for him, but for me.
I want to die for what I’ve done.
Sobs overtake me and Duskaryn draws back into the shadows.
“Twenty cycles, princess.”
His body dissolves into black mist and seeps through the cracks of the window.
My knees hit the floor and pain erupts from my mouth in a gurgling scream. My broken heart pours onto the rug next to my vomit. Tears blind me. Hate fills me.
I’ve done this…
I’ve done this to her.
The monster isn’t the creature I sold her to for her father’s life. It’s me, and I deserve whatever fate gives me for this betrayal.
Chapter forty
Alastair
There’s warmth against my side. Wiggling, wracking warmth.
Sobs fill my ears.
I tighten my arm around her. “Why is my wife crying?”
Lily gasps, pushing herself up from the crook of my arm. She moans my name in agony and collapses on my chest. I cradle her and kiss her head. Her hair is tangled and dirty, but I love the smell of it. The smell of her.
I bury my face in her hair and drag her against me. She yelps in pain and my eyes snap open.
My arm…
I loosen my hold on her and gape at my right arm fully consumed by my demon form. The claws are pricked with red blood. Lily cradles her shoulder with her other hand.
Her face is puffy and tear stained.
